There were tears and laughter as moms shared stories, and dads were offered support around a refreshment table laden with food, and grandparents chatted over tea, and children enjoyed activities in the adjoining gymnasium.
All had been touched in some way with infant loss, and so they gathered together at an Elizabeth Ministry open house at St. Nicholas Church in Langley. Parents of preborn babies lost to miscarriage, families who had experienced the tragedy of stillbirth, and still others whose little ones had gone too soon came together to connect, listen to others’ stories, and learn about bereavement resources.
Elizabeth Ministry is a Catholic ministry that supports families throughout childbearing age with a focus on infant bereavement, and entire families were purposefully welcomed to the event.
“Our vision was to invite the whole family and include children as they grieve too,” said St. Nicholas parishioner Donna Crombie, one of the first Elizabeth ministers in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
The event included prayer as well as an address by Dr. Larissa Rossen, an Elizabeth minister who spoke on the pain and suffering that infant loss families endure. Rossen became a peer volunteer with the ministry after the recent loss of her baby son Brayden.
Anna Loch, Community and Outreach Manager at Gardens of Gethsemani Catholic Cemeteries, also spoke, sharing with guests about Seasons of Hope, a faith-based bereavement support group.
On display was re-creatable artwork by some of the ministers, and at the end of the event, families were encouraged to take home a teddy bear donated by The Signal Hill in memory of their loved one and a Mother Mary’s Basket. The baskets included items such as prayer cards, a Rosary, and Catholic books about healing after losing a child.
The open house was followed by the 5 p.m. anticipated Mass at St. Nicholas with celebrant Father Nixon D’Silva welcoming bereaved families and inviting them to place votive candles at the foot of the altar.
For more information about Elizabeth Ministry, email info@elizabethministrybc.ca or visit elizabethministrybc.ca.
Ann Amsing is an Elizabeth minister at St. Matthew’s Parish in Surrey.
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